Only Hope
by shiroryu of the moon
Summary: Miroku has always been known to be a bit of a player with the ladies. But one thing has always remained constant in his life... Sango. So, what will he do when a new man enters her life? Will he have the courage to tell her the truth about his feelings?
1. Default Chapter

Whoo-hoo! I'm as giddy as a clam! (although I never understood that phrase. Aren't clams the ones who get pieces to grains stuck in their bodies and it takes like 3 years for them to make one pearl? Or was that oysters?) Anywho, I got The Two Towers yesterday and am gonna watch it with my mom and dad and sister tonite! Yippee!!! Moving on, I decided to do this fic, after my sister begged me to do and Miroku and Sango one. I really didn't want to, but I think this turned out pretty good.  
  
Summary: After some not so subtle flirtatiousness going on with Miroku and a new stranger, Miroku contemplates just what Sango means to him.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own, nor did I make up the song "Only Hope" It's by the guy from Switchfoot. I got the song off the soundtrack A Walk to Remember. I also I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. I don't own Inuyasha. Yet.  
  
~*~*~*~  
  
Everyone else had fallen asleep long ago. Even Inuyasha was visiting the land of slumber. But I couldn't sleep at all. I lied there, on my mat, thinking about how the day had gone by. I felt heat and anger rising in my body. What right did he have? None whatsoever. She was mine! I startled myself with these abrupt thoughts. Sango wasn't mine. So why did I keep thinking these things? It was like a song that gets stuck in your head and you can't get it out. Only this was stuck in my heart.  
  
~There's a song that's inside  
  
Of my soul  
  
It's the one that I've tried  
  
To write over and over again  
  
I'm awake in the infinite cold  
  
Would you sing to me  
  
Over and over and over again~  
  
We had been walking for days. We were tired and no signs of the Shikon shards were to be seen. I was so frustrated I hadn't even felt the need to grope Sango that day. We did eventually come to a village near the end of the day.  
  
"Maybe we can find shelter here." I commented.  
  
"I'll bet. So whose house has the ominous presence hovering over it this time, Miroku?" Inuyasha retorted.  
  
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about, my good friend." Jeez, I know I can tell little white lies about things like that, but at least we had somewhere to stay for the night. So what was he griping about? I turned and gave Sango a smile. She glared in return. She really was an amazing woman. We walked to the head of the village's house. I knocked on the door.  
  
"Yes, who it is?" came a voice from inside.  
  
"Are you the master of this house?" I asked.  
  
"Who wants to know?"  
  
"I am but a humble traveling monk. On my way through this lovely village I noticed an evil presence coming from your house. I feel obligated to exorcise it for you, for your safety."  
  
*Snort  
  
I glared at Inuyasha who looked back at me innocently.  
  
The door creaked open to reveal a withered old man. "An evil presence you say? Well, please get rid of it. I'd be eternally thankful." The old man's wrinkled face peered at us. "Have you any lodgings?" he asked.  
  
"No sir. We will sleep outside."  
  
"I insist, stay the night here. You and your friends are welcome." He looked us over. "What about him?" he asked as he pointed to Inuyasha doubtfully.  
  
"Oh don't worry about him. He's house broken." I said calmly.  
  
"Why I oughta-"  
  
"Inuyasha, stop it!" Kagome hissed at him. She held onto his arm that would have for surely hit the back of my sensitive head.  
  
"I'll have to thank her for that later." I thought. "Maybe I'll catch a feel of her-"  
  
"Well, come in then." The old man said. He opened the door all the way to allow us in. He led us down a hall to a room at the end of it.  
  
"You fellas can sleep in here." He said to me, Inuyasha and Shippo. He opened the door to a small room with one mat.  
  
"I GOT MAT!" Shippo and I yelled at the same time. Inuyasha just 'feh'd' and walked off outside.  
  
"Shippo, you can sleep with me." Sango said. Shippo grinned wide while I feigned a hurt expression.  
  
"You'll let HIM sleep with you, but not me?"  
  
"Yes, because all he'll do is actually sleep." Sango sneered. Kagome giggled behind her. I shrugged my shoulders as the old man led them back up the hall to their room. I went outside to perform the 'exorcism' and get some fresh air. Once I felt I had been out there a convincing amount of time, I ventured back inside only to have the smell of dinner meet with my nose. I sighed heavily as I pulled an Inuyasha and followed my nose to the kitchen.  
  
"Mmm..." I sighed with content. "Something smells great." I said aloud.  
  
"Glad you think so." Startled, I spun around on my heel to meet eye to eye with an ancient old woman. OK, so it was eye to air with a mop of white hair beneath my nose...must we be so technical? Anyways, I gasped and stared, not expecting to see living proof that dinosaurs once roamed the earth at that moment.  
  
"Am I that scary looking?" she asked me.  
  
"Oh.uh.pardon me ma'am. I didn't mean to stare. I was just startled." I said quickly.  
  
"It's alright young man. My son tells me that you've exorcised the house?"  
  
"Son?" I thought. That old man? Just how old was she?  
  
"I'm not as old as you think." The woman told me. She gave me a wink when I stared at her once again. Could she read minds?  
  
"You're easy to read." She explained. "The man that invited you in was my husband. My son is the one sitting with the rest of your friends inside. He's just about your age. His name is Kai."  
  
~So I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I know now  
  
You're my only hope~  
  
I made my way to where I heard laughter coming from. Inside the dining room Inuyasha, Sango, Shippo and Kagome were all sitting and eating. I stood frozen where I was.  
  
"Hi Miroku. Come and eat." Kagome chirped. My mouth dropped open.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Inuyasha asked. I came out of my stupor and sat down. I looked across the table. There was Sango, sitting next to what I presumed was the old woman's son, Kai.  
  
Why was I so shocked? Because Sango was flirting. With that.that.Kai guy. It might not seem such a big deal to you, but it was to me. Sango has always had a soft spot in my heart, for reasons unknown to myself. So seeing her flirt with a total stranger fazed me. She's not usually so forward.  
  
"And so there I was, in a tree without any pants screaming bloody murder with a swarm of bees stinging the heck out of me!" the guy choked out. He and Sango were laughing hysterically.  
  
"Oh my! What happened?" Sango asked. She looked absolutely beautiful, with her face red from laughing. I've never been able to make her laugh like that.  
  
"My father had to come with half the village to get me out!" They both fell into laughter again. I sat there in silence while they continued to talk.  
  
And talk.  
  
And talk.  
  
Then they talked some more...  
  
"So, since my mother was working in the field, and my father went off to war, I was mainly raised by my older sister, rest her soul." Kai said. I rolled my eyes.  
  
"I'm so sorry." Sango said sympathetically.  
  
I had had enough. Didn't that guy know what it meant to share conversation? Jeez.  
  
So, I cleared my throat.  
  
I got no response.  
  
I coughed loudly.  
  
Sango didn't even look up.  
  
I sneezed, I dropped my glass, I feigned choking.  
  
Nothing.  
  
"I was raised by a drunkard monk because my father was sucked into his own Wind Tunnel and I will probably die the same way." I blurted out.  
  
The entire table turned to look at me.  
  
"Yeah.just thought I'd share." I said quickly as I rubbed the back of my head. What the heck had possessed me to say that? To this day I have no idea.  
  
The table continued to stare at me in surprise.  
  
"Hey man, I'm really sorry to hear that." Kai said to me.  
  
That guy was a real jerk. Where did he get off, being so... So...  
  
Nice?  
  
Completely annoying.  
  
Jerk.  
  
I hated him.  
  
I didn't really like him to begin with, but right then and there I decided...  
  
I loathed Kai.  
  
I wished he were back up in that tree. Only instead of bees, Naraku's poisonous insects were stinging the heck out of him.  
  
I prayed he would accidentally take a very long walk off a very short pier. And not know how to swim.  
  
I hoped to Buddha that he would one day find himself on the inside of my Wind Tunnel.  
  
I stood up and excused myself quickly out the door. I heard Sango getting up and following me. So I sped up. So did she. I walked out of the house and into the village, trying to lose her.  
  
No such luck.  
  
She followed me through the crowds, around the huts, and behind the big oak tree where I gave up and plopped on the ground. Sango sat down next to me. She didn't say anything for awhile, she was trying to catch her breath. "What the heck was that all about?" she asked.  
  
"What? I just wanted some fresh air." I said defensively.  
  
"You know what I mean. What's the matter?"  
  
"Nothing." I said. There was actually a lot the matter. I just didn't feel like saying 'I hate that guy Kai because he made you laugh. He's a jerk and if he were to fall off a cliff, I would probably dance and giggle like a little girl.' No, that didn't' seem like the way to go. So I did the next best thing and lied.  
  
"Fine." She said huffily. Just as I was about to say I was sorry, who should show up, ruining my mood and my apology?  
  
Kai.  
  
"Hey guys. You two left so quickly, you skipped out on dessert. And it's kinda cold, so I thought you might need something to keep you warm Sango." He gave her a cloak.  
  
"Thank you very much Kai." She beamed up at him.  
  
"No problem. I didn't have any extras Miroku. Sorry." He shrugged.  
  
I flinched at the sound of my name. Where did he get off thinking it was OK to call me by my name? "That's Priest Miroku, if you don't mind." I said coldly. I never go by that title. It always seemed a bit too formal for me.  
  
Sango stared at me in surprise, for the second time tonight. Then she laughed. "He's just kidding. He never goes by that. It's way too formal for him." She told Kai.  
  
"Oh, OK Miroku. You're a funny one." He playfully punched me in the arm.  
  
I glared at him.  
  
I mean, I REALLY glared.  
  
Too bad no one noticed. Kai was too busy smiling at Sango. And Sango just didn't notice.  
  
I hate my life.  
  
~*~ END OF CHAPTER 1 ~*~  
  
So, did you like it? I know song fics are usually just one shots, but if I made this one a one shot, it just wouldn't be as good. Don't worry, I've already finished the entire story. So you won't be waiting long. Unless you don't review. So stick around and don't forget to review! 


	2. part 2

Hey guys! I am so happy that Inuyasha finally came back on Cartoon Network. (although it's been two weeks already) Did you see Thursday night's/Friday morning's episode? If that isn't the sweetest thing on the planet, well I don't know what is. I felt like a giddy school girl again...  
  
Wait a minute. I am a giddy school girl. Well, scratch that last remark. Moving right along, sorry it took so long to update. I started my new high school about a month ago, and I've been adjusting, (It's so cool. Being a sophomore rules! Mostly because since my school's new, I'm in the graduating class. Yep, no juniors or seniors! I am the upperclassman!) and my computer decided to be a pain in my butt for the heck of it. Grr...  
  
Anyways, thank you all for the reviews. I didn't really think this song fic would do that well, but your reviews made me eat my words. So thanks a lot!  
  
Disclaimer: I really don't have much to say.  
  
Attorney: Yes you do.  
  
Shiroryu: No I don't  
  
Attorney: Yes you do  
  
Shiroryu: Fine. *mumbles something incoherently*  
  
Attorney: Louder, so they can hear you  
  
Shiroryu: I DON'T OWN INUYASHA!!! Nor do I own the songs Only Hope and I'm With You. They belong to the guy from Switchfoot and Avril Lavigne. Not me. Happy?  
  
Attorney: I'd be happier if you'd pay me.  
  
Shiroryu: You're a funny one. *laughs to herself* Pay him. What's next?  
  
*  
  
I followed Kai and Sango back to the house, mentally kicking myself. Where the heck did I come up with crap like that? Priest Miroku? Jeez.  
  
I kicked a stone along the way, trying to figure out just what the heck was wrong with me. When we got there, Sango went inside without even saying anything to me. She said something about a bath to Kai.  
  
Grr...  
  
I trudged to the room I was staying in and bumped into Kagome on my way.  
  
"Hey Miroku. What's the matter?"  
  
"Nothing." I mumbled.  
  
"Hmm.don't believe you."  
  
I looked up at her in surprise. That was rather abrupt.  
  
"Ya know, you should really just tell her. It'd save us all a lot of time." She told me.  
  
"Tell her what?" I asked, completely not understanding what she was babbling about.  
  
"You can be such a guy sometimes." She rolled her eyes and bounced down the hall. That is one thing I just don't get about girls. Why do they always say that? Of course I'm a guy! Why do females feel the need to point it out to us? What else am I supposed to be? A monkey? I shook my head, not wanting to think about it. So I continued on my way to the room, which was quite empty when I got there. I sat down on the mat and stared at the ceiling for about 4 seconds, when Shippo ran in. Whoever thought it was a good idea to give Shippo dessert was obviously a few samurais short of an army. The kid moved faster than Kouga. And talked more than Kagome ad Sango combined (which is really saying something.) Deciding I wasn't going to sleep anytime soon and not wanting to spend my time in a tiny room alone with a hyperactive kid on a sugar high, I got back up and walked outside. I sat against the bathhouse out there, sure that I could be alone for awhile.  
  
"Gods Miroku, you really screwed up." I said aloud. I closed my eyes and leaned against the building. I was not very happy. Maybe meditating would help a bit. "I'm standing on the bridge I'm waiting in the dark I thought that you'd be here by now There's nothing but the rain No footsteps on the ground I'm listening but there's no sound" I opened my eyes quickly. Someone was singing. Beautifully. From inside the bath house I was leaning on! "Isn't anyone trying to find me Won't somebody come take me home" Who was that? I listened further trying to figure out who it was. "It's a damn cold night Trying to figure out this life Won't you take me by the hand, Take me somewhere new I don't know who you are but I I'm with you" It was Sango!!! Sango was singing. Like an angel. I've never heard anything that magnificent in my life. It was...  
  
Wait a minute...  
  
Since when did Sango sing?  
  
I heard rustling around in the bathhouse.  
  
"Crap." I breathed. "I can't let Sango find me here. She'll be royally ticked off if she does."  
  
I quickly got up and ran inside, eternally thankful to Buddha that the room was Shippo-free. I took my place on the mat, thinking. My day had been awful. It felt like I had nothing to look forward to anymore. I closed my eyes as I also thought about what I had just heard. It was wonderful, but really sad. What I wouldn't have given to hear her voice again though.  
  
~Sing to me of the song  
  
Of the stars Of your galaxy dancing And laughing And laughing again When it feels like my dreams Are so far Sing to me of the plans That you have for me over again~  
  
Sango had always told me that she had major changes in store for me. I always just assumed that she'd always be there. But this Kai.er.character brought it all into perspective. Sango wouldn't always be there. One day she wouldn't be there, sitting next to Kagome chatting away, or fighting with the rest of us, or screaming her head off about me and my 'tendencies' when it came to girls and hot springs. I opened my eyes abruptly. That was a hard blow. I never really thought about what would happen once we finished the jewel. I mean, all any of us ever really were concerned with was just finishing it. And ridding the world of Naraku once and for all. What would happen if.um.I mean, when we did that. (Assuming I was still alive) Where would we all go? What would we do?  
  
"Great. To top off a perfect day, I have to go and depress myself." I said to no one. But why was I depressed? The thought of not seeing Inuyasha again didn't exactly bring tears to my eyes. The same with Kagome and Shippo. I mean, they were my friends, and like a family to me. If anything were to happen to them, I'd be really, really, really upset. Inuyasha had become somewhat of a brother and best friend to me. Kagome was like a sister, always looking out for us. And Shippo like...well...um...er... Shippo. But when I thought about Sango, my heart felt like it weighed about as much as the moon. My stomach felt like reviewing what I had for dinner. Just to make sure I remembered. Losing her was way too much to think about. Suddenly it felt extremely hot and muggy in the room. Getting up once again, I ventured outside and ran into Inuyasha.  
  
"Pardon me." I apologized absently.  
  
"Feh. You really have it bad don't you?"  
  
At this I looked up from the ground to meet Inuyasha's stare.  
  
"What do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Jeez Miroku. Will you stop beating around the bush and just spit it out to her. All this moping around on your part is making me nauseous."  
  
I stared in surprise at him. Inuyasha wasn't exactly to world's leading expert in matters of the heart. Or just keeping his temper down. So why was he able to read me like that? Was it that obvious? I knew I was really pathetic if Inuyasha was giving me advice on my love life.  
  
"I must be really pathetic if you're giving me advice on my life love." I voiced aloud. Inuyasha growled lowly.  
  
"Contrary to popular belief, I, too, am very much aware of the opposite sex, and am not a complete imbecile when it comes to dealing with them." I stared in disbelief. Did Inuyasha just let the words 'contrary and imbecile' escape from his mouth?  
  
"Did you just say 'contrary and imbecile'?" I asked in awe.  
  
Inuyasha rolled his eyes, apparently annoyed. "I'm not stupid Miroku. I just never feel the need to inform people of that. Why go around being pompous and flaunt my vast vocabulary? I already know that I can use these words and comprehend their meanings, so there's no need for me to tell anyone else. That way they don't expect much of me and aren't disappointed. Sometimes it's just easier to play the role of the arrogant, hotheaded, temperamental, tough guy than to sort through all my 'feelings' and be 'intellectual'. Now I trust that my secret will be safe with you, right Miroku?"  
  
"Uh.yeah." I said intelligently. What the heck was the world coming to? Inuyasha, a scholar?  
  
"Good. Now when are you gonna stop playing the idiot and make your move?"  
  
"Wait a minute, if you're so in tune with everything, why don't you realize what's going on with you and Kagome?" I asked. That had been bothering me for a while. Inuyasha's face turned a shade of red, much resembling his clothes. If it wasn't for the hair, I would've lost track of him.  
  
"I don't know what you mean." He said.  
  
I cocked an eyebrow. Maybe he wasn't as smart as he'd seemed two minutes ago.  
  
"Miroku."  
  
"What?" I asked Inuyasha. I hadn't even seen his mouth move.  
  
"Hey Miroku?"  
  
"What?" I asked again. That time his mouth DEFINITELY hadn't moved.  
  
"Wake up!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I said, 'Wake up!'"  
  
Suddenly my eyes opened to show Sango kneeling over me with a concerned expression on her face.  
  
"Where'd Inuyasha go?" I mumbled, barely coherent. Was it all a dream? Was I still the smart one?  
  
"Huh? Um.he's outside with Kagome. Are you feeling OK?" Sango continued to stare at me like I had just grown purple spots all over my face.  
  
"Yeah...Why?"  
  
"Um...because you have purple spots all over your face." She said.  
  
Hmm...  
  
"WHAT?!" I yelled. I scrambled up and ran down the hall to Kagome and Sango's room. I rummaged through Kagome's bag till I found her little mirror. Hesitantly, I slowly opened the mirror to confirm my fears. Nice, round, plump purple spots decorated my face like stripes decorate a zebra. (I saw a picture of one in one of Kagome's "Zoo Books" Seemed a bit young for her, but whatever.) In case you don't know what a zebra is, I'll tell you they have A LOT of stripes. Meaning I had A LOT of spots.  
  
"AAAAAAGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!" I bellowed. I clutched at my face in pure horror. How in the world had this happened? My head felt very dizzy all of a sudden, probably due to my screaming...er...I mean, yelling. (screaming isn't a very manly word.) I got that nauseous feeling, you know, the one where you know you're gonna throw up soon...yeah. And I did. Then I fainted...um...passed out. (fainted isn't a manly word either.)  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
I woke up extremely unfocused, fazed, and even a bit disoriented. It felt like that time I was in Edo and there was the wine, and the girls, and that really fat man, and the purple monkeys and.um.never mind. I don't like talking about that. It still disturbs me...  
  
But besides feeling like my head was going to float off my body, I also felt something cool on my forehead. I looked up to see Sango's eyes staring at mine profoundly holding a cloth to my head. So beautiful.  
  
*rub, rub*  
  
"Ack!" she screamed. She slapped me very hard across the face.  
  
"You are such a pervert!" she yelled.  
  
Now even I'll admit, I screwed that one up pretty bad. But it's so hard...  
  
Her butt is so nice.  
  
And firm.  
  
And...  
  
OK, I'm done.  
  
Anyways, Sango threw the cloth at me and stomped out, heatedly. I watched her go, cursing myself under my breath. I always did that. I sighed unhappily and sat up. Then quickly laid back down.  
  
God I felt terrible.  
  
I mean REALLY terrible.  
  
Like being-run-over-by-Sesshomaru's-dragon-while-having-Naraku's-poisonous- insects'-venom-coursing-through-my-body terrible.  
  
Yeah that about sums it up.  
  
I hate being sick.  
  
I also hate purple monkeys  
  
END OF CHAPTER 2  
  
So, how was that? Did it live up to the first chapter? Tell me in a review! And if you haven't, please go and read my other fics. One is a sad songfic called Unsaid. The other is a humor/action adventure called Just Those Rainey Days. Love you guys! 


	3. part 3

Hey all. Sorry it's taken me so freakin long to update. My computer is such a butthead! Jeez! Anyways, here's chapter 3 of Only Hope. I hope you all enjoy. (Cuz I worked hard on it.)  
  
Disclaimer: I own nothing. Absolutely nothing. I mean I'm just a 15 year old girl writing a fanfic. And even by those standards I'm broke. So don't sue me, I disclaim everything. Attorney: Took you freakin long enough.  
  
Shiroryu: *whispers loudly* I'm just lying to them so I won't get sued for money I don't have!  
  
Attorney: *sighs* M ymother told me to be an accountant, but no... I didn't listen. I HAD to be a lawyer. Now I'm stuck with this nutcase.  
  
~*~  
  
I drifted in and out of consciousness for the next couple of days. Not pleasant at all. My temperature shot up constantly, I threw up, and I hallucinated when I was conscious. And not just any hallucinations. Down right scary ones. There was one where Inuyasha was really smart again, one where Shippo tried to eat me, and one where Kagome turned out to be a very fat man in very small undergarments.Like I said, down right scary. But I don't remember a lot of what really was happening when I was awake. All I can recall was Sango, always there with me.  
  
~And I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I know now  
  
You're my only hope~  
  
I figured out what made me sick. When I was watching Kai and Sango flirting that first night, I must not have been watching what I was putting in my mouth. I'm terribly allergic to broccoli. It makes me run high fevers, hallucinate, develop unsightly purple dots, and everything else that had happened. This was obviously all Kai's fault. If he hadn't been talking to Sango, I would've seen that I had broccoli on my plate and would've pushed it to one side. But no, I was too busy plotting his death.  
  
Told you he was a jerk.  
  
Hmph.  
  
After a few days, things became a little better for me. I could stay awake for more than 2 hours, and I didn't see any fat men anymore. I still had a few small purple dots, but they were fading away quickly. One day, when they were all gone I sat up for the first time in a while.  
  
Sango had left to get me some water, thinking I was asleep. When she came back, she smiled widely at me.  
  
"Oh Miroku!" She ran over to me and threw her arms around my neck.  
  
"Oof!" I said. I wasn't really expecting it, and I wasn't exactly the strongest guy on earth at the moment.  
  
"I'm so sorry!" she said. She let go of her grip on me and sat down. I looked at her. She had tears welling up in her eyes.  
  
Alarmed, I tried to stop the dam before it burst open. "Sango, I'm OK. Really. Please don't cry." I don't know what it is, but I feel very awkward when girls cry. It makes me worry.  
  
"I was so scared." She cried. She quickly hid her face in her hands, muffling her sobs.  
  
"Sango, I'm fine. See? No need to cry." Jeez. I felt like a chicken with a skewer shoved up its butt...  
  
Very uncomfortable.  
  
"I thought you were gonna die!" she choked out.  
  
That took me for a loop. She was that scared of losing me?  
  
"You were that scared of losing me?" I said in awe.  
  
"Of course I was, you moron!"  
  
Ouch.  
  
"Hey, how was I supposed to know? I thought you were interested in that Kai guy." I spat his name out in disgust.  
  
Sango dried her tears to look at me oddly. "What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, you and Kai." I said slowly.  
  
"Oh, did Kagome tell you that?"  
  
"Tell me what?"  
  
"Kai asked me to marry him."  
  
My heart stopped.  
  
And it wouldn't start up again.  
  
With more strength than I was aware I had at that time, I jumped up and ran past Sango. I ran faster than I ever thought I could possibly go. I had no intentions of stopping.  
  
Ever.  
  
I ran past children playing in the road. Past women airing out their laundry. Past men working in the fields. I kept running into the forest. Weaving in and out of trees, jumping over roots, for what felt like hours.  
  
"Don't stop." I thought. "Please don't stop."  
  
If I stopped, then I would have to think about it. About how I lost her, to the idiot from hell. If I kept going I wouldn't have to think about it. I wouldn't have to think about anything. I could just run.  
  
I would run till the end of time.  
  
Unfortunately, my legs and body decided that they hadn't seen me go through enough torture. I hadn't gone through enough pain. I hadn't gone through enough.  
  
So, I collapsed near a tree with a brook running next to it. I leaned my back against the tree and stared up at the sky. It'd be evening soon. I'd just watch that. I wouldn't do anything but watch the sunset. I wouldn't think.  
  
"You lost." The voice in my head told me.  
  
No. No thinking. Just watching.  
  
"You lost her to him." He said  
  
Watching.  
  
"You don't get it. She was your only hope." He nagged.  
  
"My only hope? For what?" I asked out loud.  
  
"Sango was your only hope for love. And you lost her."  
  
"I don't understand."  
  
"You will probably die within the next year. You know it. You've known for awhile now."  
  
It was true. I noticed my Wind Tunnel was getting bigger everyday. It was only a matter of time before I would get sucked into it. My days were literally numbered. I wouldn't see my next birthday.  
  
"You've never been in love. You've only groped women, asking them to bear your child. You never really saw anything in them, besides a pretty face."  
  
"If I got attached to any of them, it would only hurt more in the end." I reasoned with myself.  
  
"You haven't accomplished anything in life. You've never experienced life's greatest gift. Love."  
  
"Yes I have."  
  
"What? You fell in love with Sango? No you didn't. If you had, you would've taken a chance. She's just like all the other girls."  
  
"No she's not. Sango's different."  
  
"If she's different, then why didn't you take a chance?"  
  
"I didn't want to get hurt."  
  
"Then you're a coward."  
  
"I am not. I didn't want to give to my heart out, and not have it accepted. I won't live like everyone else. I'm going to die."  
  
"And you're going to miss out. Out of every other girl you've ever met, Sango was the only one who was able to get through to your heart. She was your only hope."  
  
The words hit hard. The voice was right. I had lost my only hope. All my life, I've known I would die young. I never got the chance to fall in love and have a family, like everyone I had grown up with. I was too preoccupied with finding Naraku, and making sure I could do that later. But it was apparent to me now. I would die before my quest was over. I looked back on my life and realized, I hadn't accomplished anything. My entire existence was meaningless. Until Sango came along. She gives the word refreshing, a whole new meaning. It's like she cleansed my soul, or something. She was the best thing that had ever happened to me. And I lost her. I waited too long and I lost her to the village idiot. That's probably why I hated him. Because I saw him taking the chance I should've taken long ago. So now he was marrying Sango. And I had nothing. The only thing that ever really meant something to me in my life, besides finding Naraku and killing him, was Sango. She was my last chance at having something good happen in my life. Something I could look back on and say, "That's my greatest accomplishment. Getting Sango." And I blew it. She really was my only hope.  
  
~I give you my empathy  
  
I'm giving you  
  
All of me  
  
I want your symphony  
  
Singing in all that I am  
  
At the top of my life  
  
I'm giving it back...~  
  
I hung my head in defeat. I was the village idiot. No, that's not right. I was the biggest idiot ever to walk the face of the planet. I felt so stupid. If I had only. Well, there was no sense wishing for what couldn't be. I had already wasted my entire life doing that. I would go and congratulate Sango, and then leave. I wasn't sure where I'd go, but I couldn't stay there. It would kill my already shortened life. Yeah, I could be a big enough man to admit defeat. I'd go right now. ... ... ...  
  
My legs and body decided once again without my consent to do the exact opposite of what I wanted. If I hadn't needed them, I would've sucked them in my Wind Tunnel a long time ago. Just as I was about to actually negotiate with my non-cooperating body parts, my thoughts were interrupted.  
  
"REOW!"  
  
Looking up, I saw Kirara flying directly overhead. She looked down at me, then descended. Sitting upon her, was Sango.  
  
Before Kirara could even touch the ground, Sango had jumped off and rushed over to me. I didn't even bother to get up. So, she sat down in front of me.  
  
"Miroku! What the heck is wrong with you? I was so worried! You're in no condition to be running around like a bat out of hell." She looked around her quickly. "How on earth did you get out here so quickly?" she asked in awe.  
  
"I ran." I said simply.  
  
"Jeez. You could give Inuyasha a run for his money." She said.  
  
My heart was getting heavy with every word she spoke. I was afraid it would get too heavy and drop to the bottom of my stomach right then and there if I didn't do something soon.  
  
"Congratulations." I said quietly.  
  
"What?" Sango looked confused.  
  
"Congratulations." I said louder.  
  
Sango knitted her eyebrows. "Kirara, why don't you go on back to the village, OK?" She said to her fire-cat. Kirara nodded and jumped off into the darkening sky.  
  
"Congratulations on what?" she asked me.  
  
"On your engagement to Kai. I'm sure you two will be very happy." I said mechanically. Sango's eyes got wide. Her mouth dropped. And then...  
  
She laughed.  
  
Really hard.  
  
I mean like pee-your-pants-give-yourself-a-headache-burst-your-stomach-open kind of laughing.  
  
And I was confused.  
  
So I sat, waiting for Sango to decide to breath. Which didn't look like it was gonna happen anytime soon.  
  
When she finally gained control, she looked at me.  
  
And laughed again.  
  
I was getting a bit tired of it. I mean I was having a hard enough time without being laughed at. Especially that hard.  
  
"I fail to see what's so funny." I said with as much dignity as I could muster.  
  
Which wouldn't even fill up a peapod.  
  
"I'm-sorry." She choked out. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. I guess that helps, because she stopped laughing.  
  
Although she was grinning.  
  
"Is that what's been bugging you? You think I'm gonna marry Kai?"  
  
"Well...you seem very friendly with one another." I said uncertainly.  
  
"Gods Miroku. I can't stand Kai. I think he's the most annoying guy on earth!"  
  
Now it was my turn to stare at her with wide eyes.  
  
"But you said he asked you to marry him."  
  
"Yeah. I never said I said yes."  
  
"So, you don't like him like that?"  
  
"No. He's a pain in the butt. Following me everywhere, asking if he can do anything for me, writing me poetry. It was really creepy."  
  
"But you were flirting with him!" I protested.  
  
"I was being nice." She corrected.  
  
I breathed in a sigh of relief. "Thank the gods. I thought I had lost you." I said out loud.  
  
"What?" Sango asked me.  
  
Crap. I hadn't realized I had said that out loud. "Oh, um nothing." I said quickly.  
  
"Oh. OK..." She said  
  
"You're gonna let her go again?" The voice said.  
  
No. No I wasn't.  
  
"Actually Sango, it's not nothing. It's something very important."  
  
"Well, go on."  
  
I took a deep breath. "I was afraid I had lost you."  
  
"No way. We're always gonna be friends." She said.  
  
"No. Not like that. Listen Sango, when I say lose you, I don't mean as in friends. I love you. I'm in love with you. I want to be with you until the end of time. And I thought I had lost you to Kai."  
  
Sango sat in silence, staring at me.  
  
"You don't have to accept that. It's OK. It's just, when I was sitting here, alone, I began thinking about my life. And I realized something. You are the most important thing to me. And then I realized that I had never done anything about it. In my short time of life, I've never been in love. At least, up until now. And my Wind Tunnel has been getting bigger everyday. I have a year, maybe two at the most to live. What I'm trying to say Sango is, you're my only hope. You're my only hope of a chance at love. I understand that you might not feel the same way, but I love you and after I found out you weren't marrying Kai, I had to offer you my heart. I couldn't pass up the chance again, after all these months I've been with you, and I never have."  
  
Sango didn't say anything still. She was just sitting there, staring at me. I began getting nervous.  
  
"So, um...yeah." I added.  
  
"You love me?" Sango asked, finally saying something.  
  
"Yeah. I do."  
  
"And this isn't just to get me to bear your child?"  
  
"NO!!! I'm being completely sincere here. This isn't a plot or something to get-"  
  
I never got to finish my sentence. Sango had pressed her lips against mine, shutting me up. My eyes grew wide in surprise, but after awhile, I closed them.  
  
Kissing Sango is the best thing in the world.  
  
Seriously.  
  
Eventually, much to my dismay, we parted for air.  
  
"I have been waiting to do that for the longest time." She said as she breathed in a sigh of relief.  
  
"Huh?" I was seriously confused here. Was she saying what I thought she was saying?  
  
"You don't get it do you? I love you Miroku. I always have. You're the one I want to spend the rest of my life with."  
  
Well, if I was a little puzzled before I was definitely mystified now.  
  
"But you're always calling me a pervert, and hitting me with your really big boomerang." I objected.  
  
"Because you are and I have to keep you in line somehow. That doesn't mean I don't love you. Because I do. With all of my heart."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah. Really."  
  
Right then, I didn't care if I had two years, or two minutes left on earth. I just wanted to spend them with Sango. I wanted to spend forever with her.  
  
I leaned in and kissed her deeply. It was even better than the first time.  
  
And I even kept my hands in place.  
  
~And I lay my head back down  
  
And I lift my hands and pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I pray  
  
To be only yours  
  
I know now  
  
You're my only hope~  
  
~*~ THE END ~*~  
  
So that was it. Hoped you guys liked it. I did. And I didn't even want to do it. I thought I'd suck at a Miroku/Sango romance. I hope you guys liked the way I portrayed Miroku. I thought making him a little funnier than usually would help the story along. But anyways, tell me what you thought in a review. 


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